


same stitch

by amaaatus



Category: Batman: The Telltale Series (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-21 12:29:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14284944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaaatus/pseuds/amaaatus
Summary: two different paths john and bruce take. two different times bruce tells john he loves him.





	1. be loved by you (vigilante)

**Author's Note:**

> listen, I'm just bitter that telltale would have john tell me that all he wanted was to be loved by bruce but then wouldn't let me tell him that I did love him. this fixes that. also I'm aware that maybe bruce might seem a little ooc but I'm writing this with my bruce in mind so his character may differ from what your bruce is like.

Bruce leans heavily against the doorframe as he stares at John’s back. He’s facing away from Bruce, standing in front of his collection of photos. Bruce sees the selfie from the funeral, both him and John smiling at the camera, and wishes they could go back to that, back to that easy connection that formed so quickly between them. But as he watches John’s shoulders shake with borderline hysterical laughter, he knows it won’t ever be the same despite how much he wants it to be.

“I was such an idiot. I was so busy looking at you. Admiring you. Wanting to be like you.”

John’s voice is rough with…anger? Hurt? Bruce isn’t sure. John’s shoulders slump and his head drops as he looks away from the photos to the ground. Bruce wants to tear his cowl off and stride over to John and hold him, wants to be held by him. He hates that they’ve come to this and he hates that he doesn’t know if they can come back from it.

“Be loved by you.”

_But I do, John. I do love you. I love you so much, it scares me._

He tries to tell John, tries to get the words past his lips but nothing comes out. Bruce watches as John turns to him, his face resentful and grief-stricken at the same time, and pulls a knife on him. John lunges at him and he lunges at John, the knife slicing through the air straight for his face.

It becomes a blur after that. Bruce feels the air move near his exposed skin every time the knife comes a bit too close, feels John’s hand against his cowl, pressing a shock toy to his head. He tries to avoid hurting him, he doesn’t want to fight, but he feels the burning pain of the knife in his thigh and his body goes on auto-pilot. 

Bruce feels disconnected from his own body as he watches himself shock John and pin him to the console behind him by stabbing a batarang through the flesh of his hand. The knife comes towards his face again and he grabs John’s wrist but for a split second Bruce considers just letting go, allowing John to take his anger out on him. Maybe that’s what he deserves. But Bruce doesn’t want to think about how John would react upon realising what he’d done, he just wants to help him, and John seeing his bloodied corpse would only make things worse.

Instead, he headbutts John and wrenches the knife free, throwing it out of reach, before he collapses back against the wall opposite him. John slides to the floor, his hand still pinned by the batarang with blood dripping down his face from his nose, and Bruce slides down with him, his thigh screaming in protest. He watches as John growls at him and tries to get up but he can’t and he flops back down in defeat.

John laughs. It’s not a nice laugh, not the one he’s used to, not the one that used to make Bruce’s lips turn up in a smile.

“I guess that’s it?”

His voice is rougher than before, hoarse, sounding like every word is scraping his throat raw. John keeps coughing and twitching, the shocks working through his body. It hurts to see him like this.

“I really wanted to be a hero, you know? But I–I–I just…can’t.”

_I know, John. I wanted you to be a hero, too. And you were. At least for a little while. I was so proud of you._

“I know you used me. I know I should hate you for that. But I don’t…because I had such a good time with you, Bruce.”

John’s smile is sad. Bruce hates it.

“Did you ever…? Did you ever think of me as your friend? Like a true friend. Someone you actually care about.”

Bruce doesn’t answer. He feels those words at the back of his throat again and he wants them out in the open, wants John to know. He must stay silent for too long because John’s face twists into an ugly scowl.

“Fine. I should have–”

“I did!”

His voice echoes between them, the modifier in his cowl deepening his shout into a thunderous bellow. John stares at him. Bruce reaches up and tears the cowl from his head, tossing it aside.

“I did consider you a friend, John. I still do. Despite everything that’s happened, I still care about you.”

John’s still staring at him, his jaw slightly agape. Bruce swallows tightly and heaves himself up, crawling towards him until he’s almost in John’s lap. He touches John’s dirty, blood-caked cheek.

“You said before that you wanted to be loved by me. You are, John. You are. I do love you. I love you so much.”

Are those tears in John’s eyes? Bruce isn’t sure, maybe it’s just the way the light’s hitting his face, but he thinks he can feel wetness building up along his own waterline as he reaches up and yanks the batarang from John’s hand. John grunts as the metal leaves his flesh and Bruce flings it over his shoulder before collapsing against the other man, his head resting against John’s shoulder.

“Do you love me, John?”

He feels John’s arms moving behind him and Bruce doesn’t know if he’s about to be stabbed again or hugged. It ends up being the latter and John’s arms tighten around him like a vice, crushing him against his chest.

“Jeez, Bruce, you must be a really messed up guy to love someone like me.”

Bruce lifts his head from John’s shoulder and fixes him with a pointed look. John chuckles, glancing away for a second before staring Bruce straight in the eyes, those bright green pools almost burning into his skin.

“But I guess we’re as messed up as each other. I love you, too, Bruce.”

Bruce smiles and leans forward, touching his forehead to John’s. It’s cheesy but his heart feels like it’s about to burst out of his chest, he’s so happy. He grimaces slightly. That’s a grisly thought for such a touching moment. Bruce snorts a little. 

“We really make a pair, don’t we, John?”

John laughs and Bruce laughs with him, something he hasn’t done for what feels like forever. They lean against each other as they giggle and it feels good to laugh together despite the fact that soon they won't have much reason to anymore. The laughter dies down and Bruce blinks when he feels a hand, not the one with the bloody gash in it, against his bare cheek. John’s eyes are fixated on his lips and before he can get a single word out, John is pressing his mouth to Bruce’s in a gentle kiss.

It's not a particularly good kiss but Bruce doesn't care. He lets a soft noise escape him and presses himself closer to John, sliding his hands up to cup John's cheeks. He tastes salt and iron, blood and tears, on John’s slightly dry lips and most would probably find that disgusting but Bruce loves it, loves how raw it makes this feel. 

John's hands are all over him, caressing his thighs, but avoiding the stab wound, one second then fluttering down his back the next. He finally settles with one hand cradling the back of Bruce's head while the other grips his uninjured thigh and hauls him closer until he and John are practically glued together. Despite how tightly they hold each other and the quiet little noises Bruce is making, the kiss stays slow, their lips moving gently against each other’s. Bruce feels warm inside and knows he’ll never have another kiss like this.

_If I have my way, I’ll never have anyone but John again, anyway._

Bruce shifts and that burning agony shoots up his thigh again, making him wrench himself back from John to hiss in pain. He presses a hand against the wound and grimaces at the ugly gouge in his skin.

“Wow, buddy, I really did a number on you.”

He glares at John from the corner of his eye as the other man snickers slightly and presses his head against John’s shoulder again.

“Just…shut up and hold me, would you?”

John laughs again, the laugh that Bruce likes, and wraps his arms around him.

“Anything for you, Bruce.”

Bruce smiles into John’s shoulder and closes his eyes. He knows things are far from perfect. He and John need to have a very long and very serious talk, preferably when neither of them are bleeding but, for the moment at least, it’s okay. For now, it’s quiet and it’s just the two of them.

Just the way Bruce likes it.


	2. if you ever loved me (villain)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> two different paths john and bruce take. two different times bruce tells john he loves him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen, I did not expect the response the first chapter got but oh my god, you guys are the best! anyway, here's the villain version which is slightly angstier for obvious reasons. enjoy.

Bruce finds John hunched over, his hands on his knees and wheezing with laughter. He doesn't like how strained and airy the giggles sound, nowhere near like the joyful cackles he was used to hearing. John lifts his head to level his gaze at him and the look in his eyes makes Bruce pause, despite how much he just wants to walk over and take John's hand and tell him that it'll be okay. He doesn't though because Bruce knows that's a lie, it'll probably never be okay, and John deserves better than any more lies. 

"You can't beat me, Bruce. You need me. I'm the villain of your dreams."

The grief Bruce feels hurts far more than any of his physical wounds. The man in front of him is so different from the happy and excitable John Doe. He wants to believe that underneath all that rage and hate, John is still there, John with his easy grin and his cheerful laughter that never failed to make Bruce laugh with him. 

"You broke my heart, John. I did need you. I cared about you. But you took what I gave you and twisted it into something ugly and wrong!"

John looks hurt for a split second before his face twists into an angry scowl.

"Ugly? Wrong? If you ever loved me, you'd see..."

_I did love you, John. I still love you. Why can't you see that?_

"What we have now, it's beautiful!"

John comes at him and Bruce wearily readies himself. He wishes that they didn't have to do this, wishes that they didn't have to fight. Bruce is tired of fighting with John. He cries out when the knife is buried in his arm, teeth sinking into his skin a second later, and holds John's head away as he tries to headbutt him.

"Why so shy, Brucie? Come on, pucker up!"

God, Bruce wishes he wouldn't say things that. It hurts so much. Bruce pushes him away and more punches are exchanged, John thrown across the floor, the knife from Bruce's arm buried in John's thigh. He manages to slam John to the ground and hauls himself on top of him, fist raised, but as Bruce stares down at him, he knows he can't do it, he doesn't want to hurt John anymore. John scowls up at him as he hesitates and scoffs.

"Mercy? What a joke."

As quickly as it left, the smile is back and he laughs at Bruce.

"You should see your face!"

John giggles then makes a sound like he's choking as his eyes suddenly roll back and he slumps back to the floor, completely motionless. Bruce stares, shocked, for a split second before leaning forward and gently shaking him.

"John?"

No answer. He shakes a bit more vigorously, nervousness quickly setting in.

"John!"

John lies there, still and silent, and Bruce feels that nervousness turn to pure panic as he leans down and presses his ear to John's chest, hearing an erratic, inconsistent beat in place of steady thumps. Bruce quickly digs into his pocket and finds the stunner, holding it against John's chest as he shocks him. 

"Come on."

He shocks him again.  _No, not now. Please, no._

"Come on!"

Another shock.  _Please, John, don’t do this!_

"Please!"

There's no still response.  _No! No, no, no!_

"No..."

Bruce feels his eyes sting with tears, his heart stuck in his throat. He can still save him, he’s sure of it. He won't lose John, he won't. John can't die like this, he can't die without knowing how much Bruce loves him. Maybe he just needs to up the voltage a little-

John gasps and coughs as he regains consciousness and Bruce almost passes out from the relief that washes through him. John gazes up at him with an incredulous yet slightly awed expression.

"You saved me?"

Bruce hates that he sounds so surprised. 

"Why? Y--You could've let me die...No one would've blamed you..."

Bruce tries to tell him why he couldn't do that, why he couldn't let John die but it's like the words are just stuck at the tip of his tongue and won't go any further. John takes his silence as an answer and grins nastily.

"Guess that would go against your code, huh?"

_It's not just about the code. It's about you. It's always about you._

"And if you did that...maybe you'd finally give into the darkness we both know is there."

John laughs and stares up at Bruce, his smile turning wistful.

"Remember that night? Drinking frappes under the stars. You dishing out advice about the ladies. Me finding out you were the Bat. It was perfect!"

His laugh sounds sad this time. Bruce doesn't like it.

"You know, some part of me always knew. Someone like you? You'd never really be friends with someone like me. But I wanted to believe it so badly..."

John makes a noise that sounds like a sob caught in the back of throat and Bruce hates it so much. He hates that he's reduced John to this, hates that he's changed the man he knew and loved in such a way that he really believes that Bruce never saw him as anything but a tool to be used.

"We had some good times, didn't we, Bruce? It wasn't all bad?"

John looks so vulnerable in that moment, his eyes almost pleading, with his lips turned down into a sad little frown. Bruce's heart aches at that look.

"You made me so happy, John. Before I met you, I don't think I'd ever had as much fun in my life. I wish we could've stayed that way."

Bruce meets John's eyes and smiles sadly.

"I lo-"

He's cut off by the abrupt sharp agony of a knife being buried into his side. John has a cruel grin on his face and Bruce grunts as he digs the knife in a little deeper. His vision starts to waver and Bruce panics. He can't end it like this, he needs to tell John, he needs John to know how he feels.

Bruce covers John's hand with one of his own and touches his cheek with the other. The grin slips from John's face and confusion rises in its stead, uncertainty making his grip on the knife slack. Bruce leans down and presses their lips together in a bruising kiss, desperately moving his mouth against John's as pain lances up his side. John stills beneath him and Bruce starts to panic again, he should have known better, he's really messed it up now, and he's about to pull away when suddenly a hand twists through the strands of his hair and John is kissing him back.

It’s not exactly a nice kiss but Bruce wouldn't change it for the world. John’s pretty filthy and Bruce is certain he’s going to have bright red lipstick and a little blood smeared across his mouth but he doesn’t care. He makes a high-pitched keen in the back of throat and pushes himself closer to John, his hands moving up to slide into messy green hair. Bruce feels John’s fingers tugging at his hair, feels his teeth digging into his bottom lip, and he relishes it, craves the passion that John is giving him and taking from him in turn.

The kiss gets sloppier, wet noises escaping from both their mouths, tongues twisting and twining together, and Bruce gasps against John's lips when he feels a hand slide down his back and take an unrelenting hold on his ass. It's harsh and not at all what he expected from John but he makes an enthusiastic noise and arches his back to push his ass out into that tight grip. Which is a mistake because the second he does that, the knife in his side digs even deeper and Bruce sees white stars burst behind his eyelids as the pain returns twofold.

Bruce starts to feel himself slow, his responses growing sluggish, and he pulls back, touching John's cheek again, before letting himself slide off him to the side. He lies there, the knife still in his side, and breathes shallowly as he stares up at the stars. Bruce feels gloved fingers slip in between his own and he turns his head slightly to see John gazing up at the sky too. 

“I love you, John. I've always loved you. And that'll never change.”

John doesn’t answer but Bruce feels his fingers tighten their hold on his hand and he sees John bite his lip, almost as if he was holding back a sob.

"Don't abandon me after this, Bruce. Please."

John's voice is soft and when he turns to look at Bruce, his eyes are watery. Bruce nods and squeezes John's hand.

"Never."

They both look back to the stars, hands clutching tight at one anothers, and Bruce lets his eyes slip shut. John's quiet giggle is the last thing he hears as he finally passes out.

Bruce wouldn't have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright, cool, this is done and now I'm sad. stay tuned for more telltale batman fics because I got a bunch of plans.

**Author's Note:**

> hey, telltale, if I could get a game of just bruce looking after john, that would be great.


End file.
